(02-09-2018 04:41 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  You'd think wrestling would be popular in the SEC. Lacrosse makes sense at some SEC schools (Vandy for sure, Missouri and Florida also come to mind), but not enough at others.

Consider who doesn't have it in the ACC, and how that might explain it failing to launch in the other place. Clemson, GT, Miami, VT...might be why it's not at SC, UGA, FL, and Tenn.

Heck, to call it a blue blood's sport doesn't mean a thing down south. The sport would be an obvious one in the portfolios at Rice, Tulane, Vandy, SMU, Miami...nope.

Wrestling was once very popular among some SEC schools. Auburn once had a nationally ranked wrestling program, not quite on par with Iowa and Oklahoma State but ranked.

In the SEC wrestling was the victim of Title IX. Since the sport was non-revenue it was the perfect men's sport to sacrifice to cover the women without having to jack up athletic expenses too much.

As to lacrosse, it is only played in a few upscale private schools in large cities in most of the SEC states. I can see it gain traction if the parents of those kids donate enough to get it started. But it has little to no interest from the general public.